Incentive device



May 22, 1962 R. w. HOLMES 3,035,355

INCENTIVE DEVICE Filed June 10, 1960 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY mum 5ATURDAY SUNDAY SAVINGS INVENTOR- Fqya Z W A al/ es 3,h35,355 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,355 INCENTHVE DEVICE Royal W. Holmes, 42 RussellSt, Jewett (Jity, Conn. Filed June It 1960, Ser. No. 35,366 11 Claims. (Cl. 35-23).

The present invention relates to a device for indicating progress of events and particularly to a device for encouraging children to carry out their daily chores.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective means for indicating the accomplishment of events.

More specifically, the device of the present invention has particular utility in encouraging children to perform their daily chores and to save money earned by the accomplishment of these chores.

In carrying out the invention, a board is provided with a plurality of vertical channels having an open end into which a coin or the like token may be inserted. The channel is provided with removable stop means capable of supporting the coins in a plurality of positions. The board adjacent each position is provided with indicia designating a chore to be carried out. When the chore is completed, the stop is removed so that the coin can progress along the channel and upon the completion of the last chore and the removal of the last stop the coin is freed from the channel whereupon it is released from the channel and may be then inserted into a savings cornpartment or miscellaneous compartment provided on the board. Also provided on the board is means for storing the stops so that they can be available for insertion into the board. Preferably, a longitudinal channel is provided for each day of the week. However, the arrangement and number of the channels can be varied as required.

While the device of the present invention is particularly useful in encouraging the performance of chores by children, it may also be used for other purposes, such as indicating the operations on a workpiece or the progress of work through a factory, since the front wall of the channel is transparent and progress of the token through the channel can be readily viewed.

The device of the present invention is simple in construction and easy to operate even by young children and is efiective in encouraging children in the performance of their chores and to saving and budgeting of money received for the chores.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the channels showing the coin and stop in position.

FIG. 4- is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines 4-4- of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one form of stop.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6 -6 of FIG. 3.

While the device of the present invention may be used for various purposes, such as the indication of progress of work through a plant or the progress of operations on a piece of work, it is herein illustrated as being applied to a device for encouraging children to perform their chores and to aid and encourage them in saving the money earned by such performance of their chores.

As shown in the drawings, the device of the present invention comprisesa base 10 having secured to the face thereof a plurality of vertically disposed coin-receiving guide means 11 in spaced relation across the board.

the coins in predetermined stop positions.

While the guide means may include flanges for overlying the edges of the coin to guide it in its movement, it is at present preferred to form it as a closed channel 12. The number and spacing of the channels can vary as required. In the illustrated form of the invention there are shown seven channels providing a channel for each day in the week.

Though the channels 12 can be formed by separate U-shaped strips secured to the base, they are herein illustrated as being interconnected into a single member 12a formed from a continuous sheet of plastic material which is preferably transparent and which is bent or molded to form the U-shaped channels 12 at spaced intervals thereacross. The portion 12b of the member disposed between the channels is secured to the base, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the vase closes the channels. The channels are open at each end and are of a depth, as shown in FIG. 4, that they will receive a single coin 13 edgewise in the channel and are of a width that they will accommodate coins of various denominations. If desired, a token may be used in lieu of a coin. The channels, being transparent, permit the progression of the token or coin along the channel by gravity to be readily viewed.

The channels, at spaced intervals along their length, are provided with a removable stop means for supporting While the stop means may take various forms, in the herein illustrated preferred form of the invention it comprises a stop member 14 having a finger piece 15 provided with a pair of spaced pins 16 projecting therefrom and adapted to extend through a pair of apertures 17 in the channel and into the aligned apertures \18' in the base. Preferably, the pins are spaced so that they will intercept and support coins of various denominations as they are positioned in the channel.

Adjacent each stop position along the channel there is provided suitable indicia '19 indicating the chore to be performed. While the indicia can be mounted in the usual metal clips so as to be removable and replaceable therefrom and can be placed along each of the channels, in the illustrated form of the invention, it is formed on a strip overlying the surface of the member adjacent the first channel. The indicia, as indicated in FIG. 1, sets forth the chores for the day.

A trough 20* is positioned below the channels to receive the coin when it is freed from the lower end of the channel upon completion of the last chore and removal of the last stop member.

To encourage thrift in the child, the base is provided with one or more receptacles for the coins. As shown, there is a receptacle 241 for savings and a receptacle 22 for miscellaneous funds into which the coin may be placed when it is removed from the trough.

If desired, means can be provided on the base to store the stop members when they are removed from the channels. This may take many forms. As herein illustrated, the means comprises a container 23 secured on the base into which the stops maybe placed as they are removed.

When in use, acoin is inserted in the upper end of each channel and engages the first stop in a position adjacent brush teeth. After the child has brushed his teeth, the stop is removed and is deposited in the container 23 secured to the front of the base. Upon removal of the stop the coin will drop by gravity to be supported on the next stop adjacent the indicia representing the next chore which is make bed. Similarly, after the bed is made the child removes the stop and the coin drops to the stop adjacent the position indicating feed dog. This is repeated until the last stop adjacent brush teeth at the end of the day is reached. When the last chore is completed, the stop is removed and the coin will be freed and will drop into the trough extending across the bottom below the member whereupon the child can remove the coin and place it in the container marked savings if it is to be placed subsequently in a savings bank or in miscellaneous if it is to be used to purchase miscellaneous items.

It will be seen that the device is simple to operate and can be attractive for use by children even of very young age.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, at least one vertically disposed guide means on the base open at the upper end to slidably receive a coin and having an open lower end to release the coin, indicia at spaced points along the guide means indicating a chore to be performed, a plurality of stops having coin-supporting means extending into the guide means and cooperating with said guide means for receiving and supporting the coin in the guide means, and means mounting the stops on the base at points adjacent the indicia for movement of the coin-supporting means into and out of operative supporting position in the guide means, removal of the coinsupporting means from supporting position permitting the coin to drop to the next stop, the coin being released from the guide means by the removal of the last stop.

2. A device of the type described comprising a base having a plurality of vertically disposed, open-ended, tokenreceiving channels thereon having a plurality of stops, and means mounting the stops on the base with tokensupporting portions thereof extending into a token-supporting position in the channels to support a token inserted in the top of said channel at various points along said channel, said base having indicia adjacent each stop to designate a predetermined operation, removal of the supporting stop from token-supporting position in the channel permitting the token to drop to the next stop in the channel with the last stop freeing the token from removal from the channel.

3. A device of the type described comprising a base having a plurality of vertically disposed, open-ended, token-receiving channels secured to the front of the base, means including a plurality of stops having portions insertable into the channels to support a token inserted in the top of said channel at various positions in said channel, said base having indicia adjacent each of said positions to designate a predetermined operation, removal of the supporting stop from the channel permitting the token to drop to the next stop in the channel until the last stop is removed and the token freed from the channel.

4. A device of the type described comprising a base, a member having a plurality of vertically disposed, U- shaped channels formed therein, said member being secured to the base with the base closing the channels for the full length thereof, the upper end of the channels being open to receive a token and the lower end having a size to pass a token therefrom, a plurality of stops, and means removably mounting the stops on the base and having portions disposed in the channels to support the token inserted in the top of said channel, said base having indicia adjacent each stop to designate a predetermined operation, removal of the supporting stop from the channel permitting the token to drop to the next stop in the channel until the last stop is removed and the token freed from the channel.

5. A device of the type described comprising a base having a plurality of vertically disposed, open-ended, U- shaped members secured thereto forming token-receivlng channels, the bow of the U-shaped member having apertures spaced therealong to receive a plurality of stops having portions adapted to extend into the channels to support a token inserted in the top of said channel, and means removably mounting the stops on the base, said base having indicia adjacent each stop to designate a predetermined operation and said bow being transparent to permit location of the token to be readily determined, removal of the supporting stop from the channel permitting the token to drop to the next stop in the channel with the removal of the last stop freeing the token from the channel.

6. A device of the type described comprising a base having a plurality of vertically disposed U-shaped members secured thereto forming open-ended, token-receiving channels, the bow of the U-shaped membe having apertures spaced therealong to receive token-supporting portions of a plurality of stops adapted to extend into the channels to support a token inserted in the top of said channel, and means mounting the stops on the base for movement thereon permitting said token-supporting portions to move in said apertures to a token-supporting position, said base having indicia adjacent each stop to designate a predetermined operation, removal of the supporting stop from supporting position in the channel permitting the token to drop to the next stop in the channel with the last stop freeing the token for removal from the channel.

7. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, at least one vertically disposed open-ended channel on the base adapted to slidably receive a coin, indicia at spaced points along the channel indicating a chore to be performed, a plurality of stops, and means mounting said stops on the base with portions of the stops disposed in the channel at points adjacent the indicia, said portions of the stops disposed in the channel receiving and supporting the coin in the channel, removal of the supporting portion of the stop from supporting position in the channel permitting the coin to drop to the next stop, the coin being released from the channel by the removal of the last stop.

8. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, at least one vertically disposed open-ended channel on the base adapted to slidably receive a coin, indicia at spaced points along the channel indicating a chore to be performed, a plurality of stops having coin-supporting portions disposed in the channel at points adjacent the indicia for receiving and supporting the coin in the channel, and means mounting the stops on the base for movement of the coin-supporting portion into and out of coinsupporting position in the channel, removal of the coinsupporting portion permitting the coin to drop to the next stop, the coin being released from the channel by the removal of the last stop, said coin-supporting portion comprising pins passing into apertures formed in the channels and connected to a fingerpiece whereby said stops can be readily inserted into and removed from said coin-supporting position in the channel.

9. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, a plurality of vertically disposed open-ended channels on the base and adapted to slidably receive a coin, there being one channel for each day of the week, indicia at spaced points along the channels indicating a chore to be performed, means removably mounting a plurality of stops in each of the channels at points adjacent the indicia, said stops having means thereon for receiving and supporting the coin in the channel, removal of the supporting stop permitting the coin to drop to the next stop, the coin being released from the channel by the removal of the last stop, and means on the base for receiving and storing the stops removed from the channel.

10. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, a plurality of vertically disposed open-ended channels on the base and adapted to slidably receive a coin, there being one channel for each day of the week, indicia at spaced points along the channels indicating a chore to be performed, means removably mounting a plurality of stops in each of the channels at points adjacent the indicia, said stops having means thereon for receiving and supporting the coin in the channel, removal of the supporting stop permitting the coin to drop to the next stop, the coin being released from the channel by the removal of the last stop,

and means on the base for receiving and storing the coins released from the channels.

11. An incentive chore board for children comprising a base, a plurality of vertically disposed open-ended channels on the base and adapted to slidably receive a coin, there being one channel for each day of the Week, indicia at spaced points along the channels indicating a chore to be performed, means removably mounting a plurality of stops in each of the channels at points adjacent the indicia, said stops having means thereon for receiving and supporting the coin in the channel, removal of the supporting stop permitting the coin to drop to the next lower stop, the coin being released from the channel by the removal of the last stop, means on the base for receiving and storing the stops removed from the channel, and means on the base for receiving and storing the coins released from the channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,366 Booth May 18, 1937 2,414,614 Shurik Jan. 21, 1947 2,813,360 Edmonds Nov. 19, 1957 10 2,825,161 Milburn Mar. 4, 1958 2,883,765 Blaine Apr. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 722,014 Great Britain Jan. 19, 1955 

